The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-06-05
Our TRADE WITH CANADl.
ALL THE FACTS THAT BEAR ON
THE QUESTION OF
Reciprocjty-American Statistics Of
Exports Grossly and Confess.
eddy Inaccurate.
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS WORTH
OF MERCHANDISE
Sent 10 the Dominion Each Year
Without Getting on the Ex-
port Record.
lsPEO1AL TO THE APPrAL.l

New YORK, June 4-The CONNER
cial relations between the United
States and Cansda are naturally close.
People who speak the same language,
ara nave in general way the same
ancestry, inhabit the two countries
uLd-rs similar governments and similar
q rumstances. The long boundary
hre is artificial. Where there is a
natu al demarkation it is a river with
bri ges or ferries, or navigsble lake
vi "a interposes only the slightest
bsr i9r TO intercourse. Railroads
ftri ate international traffic at
DrmrIous points. The needs If the
communities are almost identical, and
th'y manifest corresponding indus
III progress. Each nation enlorces
a 'Otective tariff against the other
u IN the American side somewhat
TIL rigber.
A uerican statisticJ of exports to
g.. are grossly and confessedly in.
a., ATE. Exact statements OF i'm.
p,) are obtained for revenue pur-
poses; but millions OF dollars worth Of
mercha 1dise goes from the United
State, into the Dominion every year
without getting upon ths export rec
ords. The Bureau OF Statistics esti.
mates the deficiency in last years re-
turns at 500, 000, 900, or 80 per cent. Of
the exports reported. We ex-
ported to Canada In 1886, In
other words, some s53 5000
worth of commodities instead
Of the $50, 462, 800 worth which ap.
pears on the books. This astonishing
discrepancy is due to the fact that
there is no law requiring railway COM
panies 10 furnish to collectors of Gus.
toms statistics of domestic merchan.
disc carried out OF the country over
their roads. One or two corporations,
notably the Grand Trunk, provide the
desired information, but the rest re-
fuse to give ii.
For returns of exports from tie
United States 10 the Dominion Ie.
course must accordingly be had to the
Canadian statistics OF imports from the
United States. These are substantially
correct, for the same reason that our
returns OF imports are trustworthy.
All figures given for "exports" ffom
the United States are, therefore, the
Canadian figures for imports from
Canada.
Trade between the two countries
since 1850 has been carried ON under
five successive sets OF conditions. In
lS50-55 the general tariff laws of both
uatians grouping the British Prov
inces togel her) prevailed; the reci-
procity treaty covered 1S56-66; the
rev u ar tariffs bad iorce again ia 1857
70; they we're mod'tie so ss tn give
free entry to fl 81 products in 1S74-85
and for The lsst two years all the pro
tective rates have been opera i've once
more. These varying tex regulations
have had direct influence on trade
Ia order to compare commerce with
duties, the imports and exports pass
ing between the Unied Safes anC
Biish North Amerci during the las
thirty.seven years are classi6 d accord
ing to the periods named above in the
following table, which shows tota
volume Of trade, the average snnua
movement, and the average annual tx
cess on one aide or the other.
UNITED STATES TRADE WITH BRITIsT
1